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Rifle Scopes Vortex 2.5-10x32

L

Landon

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Sep 20, 2012
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Northern Kentucky
I thought I would post this up here as well. The Vortex is a pretty exciting little scope and I think is a good option for someone who likes the features of the Nightforce 2.5-10x32, plus ffp, who does not want to be at that price point or needs that level of durability. I think the Vortex is going to be a strong competitor for the SS 3-9. As far a the PST series goes I have shot a few but never owned one but I have been a long time Razor HD 5-20 shooter. I was really shocked at how good this scope was for its price and being in the PST product line.

I received my Vortex 2.5-10x32 in the mail today from Scott at Liberty Optics. I only had a little bit of daylight to play with but this little scope is really impressive. It was bright and crisp, great clicks, and easy to use. It is really bare bones as far as accessories but every feature you need to be effective is there. This scope would be a perfect fit for and AR platform or the 18 inch .308 bolt gun I am having built. This is going to be an 800 yard and in rifle/scope combo and is setup as a light weight tactical/hunting/do it all rifle.

I think that as long as it proves to be durable at this price point, ~ $700, and its features, ffp, mil/mil, illuminated the super sniper 3-9 ffp is going to have some strong competition. I have both scopes and with no real time behind the vortex scope it's to early to tell but I think the vortex is going to be a real winner. The Vortex appears to be about .25 to .50 an inch shorter than the SS and feels just a slight bit lighter. The Vortex definitely has a smaller profile with the smaller objective even though both have a 30mm tube. Lookin at the wood line behind the house the vortex seemed to have a FOV advantage except at the top end when at 10x compared to the SS 9x. The difference was pretty close and there is no way you would miss a shot or feel emotionally compromised with either FOV.

This scope is fantastic for its price point and I actually like it more than the ior 2.5-10 ffp that I had. I no longer have the IOR to compare but I feel that it will do the same job comfortably at a lower price point. This is a brand new scope and having waited for a while I am pretty excited about the scope. We'll see if I am still as entheuastic after some time shooting and hunting with this scope and if any weaknesses surface.

Lando
 
Looks like a killer compact scope. I'm curious how it compares optically to the 2.5-10x42 PST. I think these mid-ranged scopes are about perfect for all but the most hardcore CQB or longish 900 yard+ scenarios. Right when I'm adding the SS to cart...This new compact PST is begging for my lightweight 16" recce build...:D
 
Is this the new model that Scott was excited about after seeing it at Shot show this year?

I want to test one out , but i didn't think they would be available until April.

K
 
This is the new one Scott was excited about. I was on the list as soon as I heard about them. I've been waiting for a good, simple lightweight scope in this category that had a few more options than the SS. For some reason this category is absent of any real competition besides the SS3-9 and the Nightforce, which is about $1000 more. This gives the SS some real competition and will be a hands down winner, based on features alone, if it proves to be rock solid reliable.

I have shot the old 2.5-10x42 and one of the higher magnification PST. I remembered liking them but not being overwhelmed or impressed enough to buy one. Just nice for the price point. Those scopes set my expectation for this PST and I was really impressed with the new one. The scope is just good. I really need some more time to enjoy it and make sure my opinion stands. Right now I'm excited to have a simple, lightweight option.

This scope would be great on a Recce type build but lacks the overall FOV of something like a leupold mk6 1-6 if you are going to be doing more close than far.
 
Sweet...i need to contact Scott and get one my way asap. Thanks, i look forward to checking it out.
 
Can't wait till someone puts it up next to a Nightforce compact and compares them objectively. :)
 
I would be interested in the nightforce side by side as well. I don't think they are really apples to apples though since there is ~$1000 price difference. The Nightforce was not even on my radar because of cost where the Vortex was on the low end of my comfort zone.

I think the reality is as long as this pup hold up I don't think there are going to be any shots I miss with the Vortex that I would have made with the nightforce.

Still an interesting exercise though.
 
Was just talking to Scott at Liberty Optics about this scope and he had nothing but good things to say about it. Different scope from the older x42. I have a friend who is getting one in soon and I am going to give it a serious look. Would be a great carbine scope. I know Vortex makes some excellent products and has some of the best service in the industry so it seems like a win/win.
 
Here are some pics of the new scope.

Still waiting on my 18" .308 Remington 700 to mount this little guy.
 

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Liberty Optics just delivered mine today. After twelve months of waiting on a back-ordered Nightforce 2.5-10x32mm from another dealer, I figured I'd take Scott up on his rave reviews with this new Vortex.

Overall, I'm quite impressed. This isn't the mediocre 4-16x PST I had a few years ago. The glass is way above average all the way to 10x. The turrets are spot on, and feel perfect. And although I don't know that I need adjustable parallax on a scope like this, the knob is buttery smooth. SWFA, please take note with your 5-20x Super Sniper!

I also wasn't sure about FFP in this magnification range, but I'm very glad I gave it a try. While the 3.2mm exit pupil can get a little tight when on 10x, I've been enjoying this scope on 8x with no problem. And that is something I couldn't do had I went with the Nightforce. The reticle is very usable at the entire upper range of the magnification. I was worried 0.06 mils would be too thick, but it is damn perfect in this magnification range. Vortex got that one right!

The reticle is also surprisingly usable at 2.5x thanks to the heavy plex lines. This scope might serve double duty around deer season, which is something I haven't had much luck doing with other FFP scopes.

Two thumbs up. Thanks for the accurate review, Scott!

IMG_5954_zpsde3df877.jpg

IMG_5960_zpsf61148b8.jpg
 
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Thanks for the pics. I'm really liking how this glass looks. I'd love to see a side by side with the Nightforce. I was really close to buying the NF and evnentually went with a CQB-400 yards set-up. I was looking at buying this scope as well for longer-range stuff.

Good looking Noveske btw!
 
what's the exit pupil size at 2.5x?

any tunneling when zooming all the way?

how thick does the black rim seem?

thanks.
 
I have no idea what the exit pupil is at 2.5x.

If you are asking if there is tunneling like the 2.4-10 IOR from 2.5-4 this scope does have a very slight bit from 2.75-2.5. it is so small that i had to sit there and turn the ring several times to watch it. if you were not looking through the scope and looking for tunneling when zooming up or down you would not notice it. It is a non event. The image at 2.5 is wall to wall for all practical purposes.

The black rim is not distracting and as far as I can tell looks the same as the super sniper 3-9 in terms of thickness.

The illumination knob has 10 settings with an off position between each brightness setting. It has a pretty good range. On low last evening looking outside the red illumination did not wash out the targets or make viewing difficult. The brighter settings are way to bright to use in the evening so they should be good to use when a bright, lit reticle is needed.

One thing that I did forget to mention is the knurling on the knobs is really aggressive. There will be no issues gripping these knobs in an condition, with or without gloves. The parallax is also butter smooth and a good tension. The

The more I play with the scope the better of a value I think it is at ~$700. My rifle needs to hurry up and get here so I can get this thing out to the range.
 
I'm kind of supprised it ended up 2.7 oz heavier then it's big Sfp brother, the 2.5-10x42. I guess making in ffp and parallax adj. costs quite a bit of weight. I'd guess the 42mm would still outperform it in lowlight, even if it has worse glass, but that is a guess. Looking forward to some more comparisons! Thnx
 
glock24 said:
The reticle is also surprisingly usable at 2.5x thanks to the heavy plex lines. This scope might serve double duty around deer season, which is something I haven't had much luck doing with other FFP scopes.
Click to expand...

Good to hear, this may mean the end for my last mk4...
 
in the pst line,there's a .1 oz difference between the x32 and x44,you must be thinking of another viper line. that is to say,if the specs given are correct.


i have to disagree on low light performance too,lens quality and coatings can make all the difference,however,i'm not specifically saying that there's a difference in lens or coatings quality between the two,that's up to those who own or have used both to say,..and even then,i reserve the right to use my own judgement.

just saying.
 
I can't find specs on exit pupil, but assuming this scope follows the normal logic; 32mm divided by 2.5x = 12.8mm exit pupil (@ 2.5x)

When I compare this scope with the 2.5-10x32mm Nightforce I had in years past, a few contrasts can be made. The first (as you can see below) is the size of the ocular housing. It is much smaller on the NF. On my particular rail setup (Vltor CASV-M), I was able to put the NF farther forward over the barrel. With most rails and optics mounts however, this won't be an issue.

I've never been a fan of the "floating Mil-Dot" reticle on the NF. The Vortex reticle is a big improvement, both in the sub-tensions, and the addition of the heavy plex lines. It really does make it a deer hunting contender. Maybe even better than the SFP NF with only the thin lines of the Mil-Dot reticle that can disappear in heavy brush.

I'm still not sure I need the parallax adjustment, especially since it now puts the illumination knob on the already larger ocular assembly. I like the simpler controls of the NF.

I do appreciate the larger knobs on the Vortex

The "black rim" thickness isn't objectionable, but it is larger than what is on the NF.

In the end, I'm very pleased that is it 90% of the NF design, for 50% the cost.

Picture005-1.jpg

IMG_5960_zpsf61148b8.jpg
 
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i'm not sure where the formula(OB lens size divided by mag) for getting EP comes from. it may have come from telescopes which tend to be much higher mag ranges. it doesn't matter that the same info is repeated over and over again,it's just not correct. on rifle scope at the higher mag,the formula is almost always correct but on the lower mag,as far as i can tell,it's almost always wrong.

you can find the EP fairly easily by placing the scope steadily at the correct eye relief distance to a wall(or any flat,solid object),place a strong flash light about 1 foot in front of the OB lens,turn the light off in the room,and measure the EP carefully on the wall. now verify by calling vortex to confirm but use your judgement. you can also just hold 2 scopes at arms length looking through the ocular,the other in which you are sure of the EP,and compare. if you have several scopes to do this with you can get a really good and accurate idea.
 
NF lists an exit pupil of 13.3mm for their 2.5-10x32mm, so the case of this Vortex, I doubt my math is that far off.

Your point is still valid though. I do know that a lot of the 1-4x scopes don't follow the traditional exit pupil formula. For example, the 1-4x NF lists an exit pupil of 16mm (@1x) when the formula says it should be 24mm (24mm/1x = 24mm)
 
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Thanks to Landon and Glock 24 for this.

When I go "all in" on a scope recommendation, I take that seriously. Not just to sell scopes, but to make for happy shooters. It's my business to get things right, but as always, you are "the deciders", not me. IMO, in the PST lineup, this scope is really tough to beat. It also stacks up real well against much of the higher priced competition. That's why I ordered so many. Here's my crystal ball. This scope will be in high demand this year, and price will go up for 2014. So now is the time.

The only way I can handle the backorders now is pre-order on the website. No money taken until your scope comes in

Scott
 
Thanks to all for their insight on this optic and for the comparisons and impressions thus far. Got a couple other irons in the fire that will consume ye old budget until toward the end of next month, but inventory willing, I'm going to snag at least one of these for a .308 Carbine project that I've had in the works for what seems like FOREVER at this point...all that's left is a quality optic/mount/rings setup for it and I'm DONE and off for some fun T&Eing it during the spring!!
 
I might order one late summer to go on top of my REPR for Deer hunting in the Fall, this seems like a really cool optic.
 
30calDeath said:
I might order one late summer to go on top of my REPR for Deer hunting in the Fall, this seems like a really cool optic.
Click to expand...

That is one of the reasons I like this scope so much. It is going to be a good tactical and hunting scope. It is a great all around performer and it keeps the overall weight of the system down. With aluminum rings it comes in about as light as you can get for a scope with tactical features.

An 18" 308 bolt gun with this scope for general purpose use is the setup I've wanted for the last two or three years at the price I wanted.
 
I've got two on their way to me. One for the MaTen, one for the AR. The nightforce was always on my wishlist, but the lack of FFP and the cost&availability has always deterred me. I think these will be great


_____________________________

NW Expeditions
 
I just ordered one of these for my AR. Glad to hear so much positive feedback about this model. I really like the 6-24 Viper PST I have on my .308 and thought this would be be a a good scope too. Anyone know what size BC flip covers it uses?
 
Well went and checked one of these out today. Man it is a nice scope. I was looking at a building across the river that was about 1500 yards and it was nice and clear. Knobs felt great and the parallax spun smoothly. I think Vortex hit a home run with this one. Sent Scott at Liberty Optics an email telling him to put me on the wait list for one. Will be a nice scope for either my AR with a small red dot on the side for close targets or my GAP-10. Already thinking about configurations I can work up.
 
Scott

I searched your site for the 2.5-10x32 and did not find it. Am i missing something here?
 
Hmmm. I've been waiting for NF to make a FFP version of their 2.5-10x32... I could probably live with Vortex.

Really interested to see them side by side, glass wise.
 
Got mine in last Tuesday!
Mounted it Thursday and had it outside today.
Bought on the recommendation of a trusted friend, and Scott's review and it rocks!!
Liberty optics is the way to go!
Thanks Scott!!
 
does anyone know about cameraland reputation? they show both MRAD and MOA in stock but how are they with shipping, returns, etc.? I would rather buy from a site vendor but no one else here has them in stock...
 
ra2bach said:
does anyone know about cameraland reputation? they show both MRAD and MOA in stock but how are they with shipping, returns, etc.? I would rather buy from a site vendor but no one else here has them in stock...
Click to expand...

Do you mean CameraLandNY?? If so...THEY ARE A HIDE VENDOR!! Doug and company will take good care of you. They are a first-class outfit all the way.
 
Have bought from both CamerlandNY (Doug) and LibertyOptics (Scott) and rest assured, both outfits rank right at the top when it comes to customer service. You won't go wrong using either of these Hide vendors.
 
ORD said:
Do you mean CameraLandNY?? If so...THEY ARE A HIDE VENDOR!! Doug and company will take good care of you. They are a first-class outfit all the way.
Click to expand...

yeah thanks - Cameraland NY. I see now that they are a sponsor but I found them from Vortex lists of retailers. this was the only place I found it in stock.

I called and the guy I talked to on the phone was not Doug but was very helpful. he went and placed hands on it to make sure he had the MRAD . shipping was free too <grin>...
 
Landon said:
I thought I would post this up here as well. The Vortex is a pretty exciting little scope and I think is a good option for someone who likes the features of the Nightforce 2.5-10x32, plus ffp, who does not want to be at that price point or needs that level of durability. I think the Vortex is going to be a strong competitor for the SS 3-9. As far a the PST series goes I have shot a few but never owned one but I have been a long time Razor HD 5-20 shooter. I was really shocked at how good this scope was for its price and being in the PST product line.

I received my Vortex 2.5-10x32 in the mail today from Scott at Liberty Optics. I only had a little bit of daylight to play with but this little scope is really impressive. It was bright and crisp, great clicks, and easy to use. It is really bare bones as far as accessories but every feature you need to be effective is there. This scope would be a perfect fit for and AR platform or the 18 inch .308 bolt gun I am having built. This is going to be an 800 yard and in rifle/scope combo and is setup as a light weight tactical/hunting/do it all rifle.

I think that as long as it proves to be durable at this price point, ~ $700, and its features, ffp, mil/mil, illuminated the super sniper 3-9 ffp is going to have some strong competition. I have both scopes and with no real time behind the vortex scope it's to early to tell but I think the vortex is going to be a real winner. The Vortex appears to be about .25 to .50 an inch shorter than the SS and feels just a slight bit lighter. The Vortex definitely has a smaller profile with the smaller objective even though both have a 30mm tube. Lookin at the wood line behind the house the vortex seemed to have a FOV advantage except at the top end when at 10x compared to the SS 9x. The difference was pretty close and there is no way you would miss a shot or feel emotionally compromised with either FOV.

This scope is fantastic for its price point and I actually like it more than the ior 2.5-10 ffp that I had. I no longer have the IOR to compare but I feel that it will do the same job comfortably at a lower price point. This is a brand new scope and having waited for a while I am pretty excited about the scope. We'll see if I am still as entheuastic after some time shooting and hunting with this scope and if any weaknesses surface.

Lando
Click to expand...

Where did you score one for $700? I need to get my price match from SWFA if that's the case ...
Chris
 
Chris he said right in his post. First line, second paragraph. That's why I tell people to CALL Scott at Liberty Optics. ;)
 
I have 2 of these (MOA Thank You). I really like their looks, performance and you can't beat the price for all the features included in this one.

I fondled one at SHOT show. The Vortex guys probably still have my fingerprints all over their demo models.

It's even better sitting on my rifle! It'll be used for coyotes the rest of this winter and general target shooting over the summer.

I hunt VERY extensively all over the world and have come to really appreciate the value of an illuminated scope in this power range. I have a couple of the NF 2.5-10 also and they are great scopes. Thie new Vortex gives us all a very capable alternative.

Good luck.
 
Looks like a killer scope! Wild you commend it for a longer range hunting/target shooting (steel out to. 600-700yards, but mainly 400 yards) on a .30-06 bolt gun?
 
Tarheelpwr said:
Where did you score one for $700? I need to get my price match from SWFA if that's the case ...
Chris
Click to expand...

I posted ~$700. The "~" means approximately, not exactly 700. Could be more or could be less. :) Approximate is also subjective. His advertised price on his website is $799. Call Scott and see what he can do for you. He has always treated me and anyone i send to him well.
 
Landon. Looks like a killer scope for a great price, glad the high price of formula, Lipton, and biscuits don't have you down! ;-)
 
I guess I didn't know everyone's secret :). You have to call. I looked at Liberty and saw the $800 price, so that's why I was confused. Mine just came in the mail today, so I would need an advertised price to get a price match. No worries either way, after seeing how good it looks, I don't mind the price.
 
SUIScide said:
Landon. Looks like a killer scope for a great price, glad the high price of formula, Lipton, and biscuits don't have you down! ;-)
Click to expand...

Lol...yea that is funny. That's my old man food. A staple meat at bob evans befor 5pm. Junior is on two bottles a day and a consistent regiment of tummy time. He will be ready for selection in no time.
 
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